Over the Garden Wall is strange, and it was that charming strangeness that drew me in. Everything from its gorgeous visuals and folksy, addicting original soundtrack to the eerie, eldritch story voiced by a cast including Elijah Wood and Tim Curry quickly made the show a critic and fan favorite. Over the Garden Wall, Cartoon Network’s 2014 miniseries from Patrick McHale, has quickly become a Halloween and autumn viewing essential.
For the first time in a long time, watching a Halloween-themed piece of media was not only enjoyable, it was therapeutic. Last year, however, I finally took the advice of some friends and watched Over the Garden Wall. Every year since, Halloween has carried a weight to it that I haven’t known what to do with, instead of the joy that I want to feel.
Despite generally loving Halloween, it is also a reminder of my dad, whose birthday fell on the same day and who passed away in September of 2008. This isn’t because I’m not a fan I love the nostalgia something like It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown brings, and I think horror is one of the most interesting genres in all of film. In the weeks leading up to Halloween and on the holiday itself, I typically try to avoid Halloween-themed media. At the same time, the Halloween season is often the time of year where I feel the most lost. Is Halloween one of my favorite holidays? Yes - the entire autumn season is my favorite time of year. Every Halloween for the last decade or so, I’ve been tasked with explaining my contradictory feelings on the holiday to those around me.